Images October 2019 Digital Edition

www.images-magazine.com OCTOBER 2019 images 45 IS BRAND PROFILE O perating from south- central Los Angeles, Next Level Apparel has been steadily growing its business supplying high quality blank garments for decorators over the past 16 years. In the past, some of its clothing has found its way across the Atlantic for specialist orders but now, for the first time, the brand is available in the UK directly, through a distribution partnership with PenCarrie. “There was a level of demand coming in, there were people wanting our product,” explains Eric Simsolo, director of business development, who works alongside his father Joe, the founder of the business. “We had been talking to PenCarrie for four or five years. From the start, we wanted to have the right partner for the brand as they are an extension of you in that territory. We were ready to get out there.” Next Level is one of the biggest brandable apparel suppliers in the US market and is known for its specialist fabrics and broad range of styles. Joe Simsolo launched the brand in 2003 after working with his own father running a successful sublimation printing business in Los Angeles. Identifying a need for a good fashionable fabric, he started sourcing a soft material, then supplying it to customers for cutting and sewing before taking it back for printing. It soon became clear that it would make more sense for Joe to provide the printed garments as a total package. Next Level then emerged as a brand after Joe spotted a further opportunity to supply blank garments ready for printing. As Eric explains, “From there, Next Level just kept expanding its product offering, asking what was needed, and always running as an owner-operated entrepreneurial business”. PenCarrie partnership After becoming a leading brand in the US market, Next Level has expanded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Puerto Rico. The UK and the rest of Europe was the obvious next step. As well as partnering PenCarrie in the UK, it has this year also formed a partnership for the rest of Europe with L-Shop-Team. This has been possible on the back of the opening of a warehouse in Belgium through a third party, Eric points out. “We are using that to support our partners in PenCarrie to make sure they get their product quickly enough and can replicate it and make sure their customers can feel comfortable in their investments in Next Level product. Before, we never had any warehouse space. Without that, it’s hard to serve the product on a large scale.” Before partnering PenCarrie, one of the original footholds for Next Level in the UK and the rest of Europe was the tour merchandise market. “They were asking for us to come [to the UK and Europe] as their big complaint was that they started a programme in one style in the US and then went to the UK and Europe and it was more expensive and you had to import,” Eric says. “If you don’t import, you end up going down the route of switching over to other products in different places, and they don’t like to do that. It can damage their brand. In that respect, there have been people welcoming Next Level with open arms.” He believes there is an opportunity for the brand to firmly establish itself in the UK market. “Our goal is to be the standard upper-level blank apparel. Others are doing very well in the lower- price category. From the standpoint of the industry and the end customer, people like Next Level as we are fashion- forward and have good-fitting shirts and unique fabrics.” Signature styles Innovation in fabric has been a key part of Next Level’s development. Its signature items include a super-soft sueded fabric and the soft textured ‘Mock Twist’, both of which are made using 60% combed ringspun cotton/40% polyester fabric. The initial range available through PenCarrie includes the Fleece Pullover Hoodie (NX9303) and the Fleece Zip Hoodie (NX6092), which have hood linings made from fabric scraps from Next Level’s T-shirt manufacturing operations. According to the brand, the use of these scraps creates “a lovely connection between T-shirt and sweatshirt”. Both styles sport a locker patch, also made from T-shirt scraps, which provides the perfect location for a printable label. The Crew Neck Fleece with Pocket (NX9001) has also been added to the UK range as “a fantastic alternative to the traditional hoodie, offering all the comfort of a sweatshirt but with a handy front pocket”. All of these styles are made from 80% cotton/20% polyester. From Next Level’s CVC collection, UK customers can choose from the Women’s PCH Raglan Zip Hoodie (NX9603), PCH Pullover Hoodie (NX9300) and PCH Bomber Jacket (NX9700) – all made from 60% cotton/40% polyester, and also featuring hoods and locker patches made with T-shirt scraps. The styling of the PCH Next Level is known for its innovation in fabric